Maggie Valley and Cherokee: Soco and Mingo
Soco Falls is on US-19 between Maggie Valley and Cherokee. Use the maintained viewing route and our Soco directions guide. Confirm current accessibility if stairs or uneven ground would be a problem.
Mingo Falls is a different stop near Cherokee, with a substantial flight of steps. The Cherokee visitor guide describes 161 steps to its viewing bridge. Choose it for a group comfortable with the climb and return, rather than labeling it easy solely because the walk is short.
A manageable day is one waterfall followed by a meal or another stop in Cherokee or Maggie Valley. Add the second waterfall only if the group wants more walking. Leave room for parking and the drive between the two.
Pisgah: Looking Glass and Moore Cove
Looking Glass Falls is a roadside stop on US-276. The NPS visitor page distinguishes the roadside view from the steps leading farther down. A view from above can be enough; reaching a lower viewpoint is a separate decision.
Moore Cove Falls adds a woodland walk. NPS describes a 0.7-mile trail to the falls; allow for the return as well. Use the maintained viewing area and check trail conditions. It has its own parking approach: plan separate stops at the two trailheads.
Pair these two only if parking and walking conditions work for the day. A lunch stop and a relaxed return may be more enjoyable than another long detour. Enjoy the water from established viewing areas.
Graveyard Fields: make the waterfalls your main walk
Graveyard Fields, at Parkway milepost 418.8, has multiple routes and waterfall destinations. Read the NPS trail information and the map at the trailhead. Decide whether you want a shorter Lower Falls outing or a longer route; do not use one mileage for every variation.
Check Parkway road status for both the destination and your approach. Choose an approach that is open for your visit. Treat a Graveyard Fields hike as the day’s main activity if that is the amount of walking your group wants.
Highlands: Dry Falls and Bridal Veil
Dry Falls has an accessible overlook and a separate trail behind the waterfall, as described by Recreation.gov. Choose the overlook for step-free viewing; the walk behind the falls has a different approach. Check current site access and the required day-use pass.
Bridal Veil Falls near Highlands is on the US-64 corridor. Be precise when navigating: there is also a waterfall with the same name in DuPont. Check the Highlands site’s current access and signs before stopping; use the designated visitor area.
Make this a Highlands-area day with time for the winding drive, a meal and whichever viewpoints suit your group. Avoid combining it with a full Pisgah hiking itinerary under an optimistic morning-to-afternoon schedule.
NC-215: Sunburst and a more involved Courthouse outing
Visit Haywood describes Sunburst Falls beside NC-215, where road traffic and the curve make stopping a practical consideration. Use a legal place to park and a safe viewpoint. Its lower access involves a slippery scramble, which is not part of this itinerary.
Courthouse Falls is a separate hiking option listed by Explore Brevard. Confirm current forest-road and trail access before choosing it; the walk depends on where access is permitted. Plan the walking distance from the trailhead that is actually accessible on your visit.
Choose the day by effort, not the number of stops
Prefer less walking? Look at established overlooks and confirm the actual route from parking. Want a woodland hike? Make Moore Cove or a suitable Graveyard Fields route the main event. Want a scenic town-and-waterfall day? Choose the Cherokee or Highlands corridor and leave time for a meal.
Download your route, check weather and access, and carry water and shoes suited to the ground. Follow posted barriers and stay away from waterfall edges. Photographs show the destination; they do not prove today’s water flow or conditions.
Return to an in-town home with a private backyard, games and room to settle in. Browse the Mojo Manor photo gallery or compare other walks and hikes when planning the rest of your stay.
Updated September 7, 2026 by Mojo Manor. Planning sources are linked beside the relevant details. Recheck attraction access, opening information and booking terms for your dates.